Robin Hood

Week 9: Medieval Heroes - Assignments - Reading - Resources - Images

ROBIN HOOD TO THE RESCUE (Ballad 140)

Reading time: (4 minutes)
Robin Hood tricks the Sheriff again in this ballad. In another rescue of his men who have been captured by the Sheriff, Robin wears a disguse - that of a "silly old man" - and the Sheriff is completely taken in.
1 There are twelve months in all the year,
As I hear many men say,
But the merriest month in all the year
Is the merry month of May.

2 Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a day,
And there he met a silly old woman,
Was weeping on the way.

3 'What news? what news, thou silly old woman?
What news hast thou for me?
Said she, There's three squires in Nottingham town
To-day is condemned to die.

4 'O have they parishes burnt?' he said,
'Or have they ministers slain?
Or have they robbed any virgin,
Nor with other men's wives have lain?'

5 'They have no parishes burnt, good sir,
Nor yet have ministers slain,
Nor have they robbed any virgin,
Nor with other men's wives have lain.'

6 'O what have they done?' said bold Robin Hood,
'I pray thee tell to me:'
'It's for slaying of the king's fallow deer,
Bearing their long bows with thee.'

7 'Dost thou not mind, old woman,' he said,
'Since thou made me sup and dine?
By the truth of my body,' quoth bold Robin Hood,
'You could not tell it in better time.'

8 Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a day,
And there he met with a silly old palmer,
Was walking along the highway.

9 'What news? what news, thou silly old man?'
What news, I do thee pray?'
Said he, Three squires in Nottingham town
Are condemned to die this day.

10 'Come change thy apparel with me, old man,
Come change thy apparel for mine;
Here is forty shillings in good silver,
Go drink it in beer or wine.'

11 'O thine apparel is good,' he said,
'And mine is ragged and torn;
Whereever you go, wherever you ride,
Laugh neer an old man to scorn.'

12 'Come change thy apparel with me, old churl,
Come change thy apparel with mine;
Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold,
Go feast thy brethren with wine.'

13 Then he put on the old man's hat,
It stood full high on the crown:
'The first bold bargain that I come at,
It shall make thee come down.'

14 Then he put on the old man's cloak,
Was patchd black, blew and red;
He thought no shame all the day long
To wear the bags of bread.

15 Then he put on the old man's breeks,
Was patchd from ballup to side;
'By the truth of my body,' bold Robin can say,
'This man lovd little pride.'

16 Then he put on the old man's hose,
Were patchd from knee to wrist;
'By the truth of my body,' said bold Robin Hood,
'I'd laugh if I had any list.'

17 Then he put on the old man's shoes,
Were patchd both beneath and aboon;
Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath,
'It's good habit that makes a man.'

18 Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone,
With a link a down and a down,
And there he met with the proud sheriff,
Was walking along the town.

19 'O save, O save, O sheriff,' he said,
'O save, and you may see!
And what will you give to a silly old man
To-day will your hangman be?'

20 'Some suits, some suits,' the sheriff he said,
'Some suits, I'll give to thee;
Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen
To-day's a hangman's fee.'

21 Then Robin he turns him round about,
And jumps from stock to stone;
'By the truth of my body,' the sheriff he said,
'That's well jumpt, thou nimble old man.'

22 'I was neer a hangman in all my life,
Nor yet intends to trade;
But curst be he,' said bold Robin,
'That first a hangman was made.

23 'I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,
And a bag for barley and corn;
A bag for bread, and a bag for beef.
And a bag for my little small horn.

24 'I have a horn in my pocket,
I got it from Robin Hood,
And still when I set it to my mouth,
For thee it blows little good.'

25 'O wind thy horn, thou proud fellow,
Of thee I have no doubt;
I wish that thou give such a blast
Till both thy eyes fall out.'

26 The first loud blast that he did blow,
He blew both loud and shrill;
A hundred and fifty of Robin Hood's men
Came riding over the hill.

27 The next loud blast that he did give,
He blew both loud and amain,
And quickly sixty of Robin Hood's men
Came shining over the plain.

28 'O who are you,' the sheriff he said,
'Come tripping over the lee?'
'The 're my attendants,' brave Robin did say,
'They'll pay a visit to thee.'

29 They took the gallows from the slack,
They set it in the glen,
They hangd the proud sheriff on that,
Releasd their own three men.'

Questions. Make sure you can answer these questions about what you just read:

  • who did Robin hear the news of the hanging from? where did he get his disguise?
  • what job did the Sheriff offer to the "old man"?
  • what happened to the Sheriff in the end?

Source: Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898). Weblink.

Modern Languages / Anthropology 3043: Folklore & Mythology. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one.
Page last updated: October 9, 2004 12:52 PM